Former Kate Gosselin staffer says she hits her kids hard w/ a plastic spoon

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I don’t believe in corporal punishment for a few reasons. First of all, it’s cruel to hit your child, even if you justify that it got their attention or if you think it works for whatever reason. Second, it really doesn’t work and can cause lasting damage. If you hit your child, they’re going to remember that you hit them, not that they did something wrong. To your child, you’re the one that’s wrong when you hit them, and they tend to focus on that and not the thing you’re trying to discipline them for. If you use other methods like taking away privileges and time outs, they’ll reflect on their behavior and will hopefully change in time. Otherwise they’re thinking about how much it hurts and how they were wronged. Plus it makes them think that it’s ok to hurt others because mom and/or dad do it to them.

Many people reason that they got smacked on the butt as kids and that they turned out fine. While I find that unacceptable for my child, I try not to judge others for a light occasional spanking. That is as far as it should go though, and using any kind of object on your child like a spoon or a belt is akin to physical abuse. How can we expect to raise children who solve problems effectively when we’re teaching them at home that aggression is an acceptable response to frustration? If you hit your child with an object, you are out of control and need help.

The National Enquirer has a new interview with a former staffer of Kate Gosselin. The person who worked with her closely says the mother of eight has taken her children off camera and disciplined them by spanking them hard on the butt with a plastic spoon. If this is true, I am disgusted with this vile woman.

The former staffer also claims Kate would routinely drink a bottle of wine a night. She seems to be laying off the sauce recently, though, at least in comparison to absent husband:

Kate Gosselin is a regular boozer with a hair-trigger temper who has angrily paddled her kids with a kitchen utensil, an ex-staffer for Kate and her estranged husband Jon charges.

In an explosive exclusive interview, the former employee also reveals that she saw Kate getting cozy with bodyguard Steve Nield, the silver-haired hunk with whom she’s been rumored to be romantically involved…

“By the end of the day after the kids were settled, Kate would drink a bottle of wine by herself. This happened several nights a week,” said the source, who worked with the Gosselins for six months and quit at the end of summer 2008…

Kate was “short-fused and demanding,” according to the source, and while off-camera, she often disciplined the children in a very harsh, sometimes even violent, manner.

“When one of the boys closed a door on another one once, Kate got in their faces and yelled, ‘You tell me the truth about what happened!'” the source revealed.

“The children just stood there, terrified. Then she dragged one of the boys into the bathroom and spanked him five or six times with a large plastic mixing spoon.

“You could hear Kate forcefully whacking the child and the child screaming at the top of his lungs. People told me it happened more than once, but it was off-camera because Kate didn’t want it in the show.

The source also witnessed the growing closeness between Kate and her bodyguard, New Zealand native Steve Nield.

In a surprisingly intimate gesture, “Steve often put his hands on her hips to guide her.”

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, June 22, 2009]

So do you think that Kate was cheating with the bodyguard for a while before her marriage fell apart? She did supposedly write up that whole separation contract letting Jon go out and see other people as long as he showed up for tapings. Maybe she did it to make herself feel better about the guilt.

I hope she’s no longer using corporal punishment with her children. If this story is true and anyone filming the show knows about it, they should ensure that Kate gets into counseling and learns how to control her anger. Her kids deserve way better. They already have to have their whole childhood chronicled to satisfy their mean mom’s quest for fame and cash. Their absent dad with his new earring, girlfriends, and lame-looking “hip” clothing isn’t much better but at least he’s not smacking his kids with a spoon.

Katie Gosselin is shown out on 6/10/09 with two of the five year-old octuplets, Hannah and Aaden. Credit: INFphoto.com

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85 Responses to “Former Kate Gosselin staffer says she hits her kids hard w/ a plastic spoon”

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  1. Yae says:

    How much wine is in a “whole bottle”?
    2 1/2 to 3 glasses? Boozer?

  2. Kelly says:

    Ugh why doesnt this suprise me? I always thought this bitchy woman had some crappy way of making her children behave. Apparently i was right. How sad.

  3. Arvedia says:

    Celebitchy, I don´t know about the US, but corporal punishment has been illegal in Germany for some years – it´s regarded by the law like any other form of assault and battery. Kate Gosslin would absolutely face charges here. Very justly so, I think.

  4. ryan says:

    I really find any story from some random “outside source” hard to believe. People are just coming out of the woodwork, as expected, at this point. This story is BS.

  5. sarcra says:

    If this former staffer is so concerned about how Kate treated her children, why are they just now coming out with this information? Oh, let me guess, because now that the Gosselins are the latest IT-scandal this person could get paid for their info.

    IF this is true, it is out of hand behavior by Kate Gosselin. I am not going to debate the whole corporal punishment argument. But I am really annoyed by “concerned” acquaintances JUST NOW coming out with their alleged inside info, so conveniently when it’s on demand and paid for by tabloids. If the kids are really being mistreated, don’t wait to come out with this info when you can get paid for it.

  6. boo says:

    It is never OK to spank a child let alone hit them with objects like spoons.

    But who is this source? Why don’t they show their face and name? Who knows if this is true or not. If you are going to reveal the details of your former employer’s drinking habits and accuse them of physical assault on a child, then show your face and name.

  7. Andrea says:

    ok, seriously, my mom used to spank me with her spoon and I turned out just fine…no emotional trauma and no needing to see a psychologist. This is just another story about a former staffer wanting to make money and getting their 5 minutes of fame. These stories are probably greatly exaggerated.

  8. anonymous says:

    LOL
    you can tell the difference between countries and cultures. God knows i was hit with all sorts of things and i turned out fine. im not a public deviant mad and frustrated at the world. this reminded me of this ridiculous out of control child and her mom was like ill put u in time out and the lil girl said “no!i hate you” and started screaming i was soooooooo mad. How do you allow a child to behave like that around other ppl disturbing their peace. I know my baby cousins would NEVER do that with me because i dont play. Spanking is not the devil, abuse is. Trust me they’ll never get what i got. she loves her kids you ppl are just reaching.

  9. caitlinsmommmy says:

    A bottle of wine (not a magnum) is 750 ml- a glass of wine is 5 oz, so a 750 ml bottle is 5 glasses of wine. That’s a bit excessive if it’s several times per week.

  10. Cinderella says:

    Kate seems like a witch 24/7, so it’s not surprising that she probably loses it with her kids alot.

    On another note, many of us grew up getting spanked at one time or another. I remember darn well why I got spanked, and it wasn’t my mother’s fault. Some children have very strong and defiant personalities. Time-out and relentless talking do not always work.

    My daughter has my personality and yes, she gets a swat every now and then. Believe me, she is well-warned in advance and given the opportunity to straighten up. She is also very outgoing and social to others, and calls me her best friend, so I just don’t see where the damage is being done. At least not in our situation.

    However, there are parents who use corporal punishment as their only form of discipline and not as a last resort. Also, some children are timid by nature, so if they misbehave, the last thing they need is an angry parent hitting them. Time out or discussion would work just fine.

  11. anonymous says:

    I can believe that about Kate. But I’m going to be another one of those people who talk about being spanked with a wooden spoon, no less, and turned out fine. It was meant to be embarrassing not physically painful. And I remember it WAS embarrassing so I didn’t act out in the same way I did, and therefore never got spanked again. I just don’t think it’s THAT big of a deal. Maybe there should be more corporal punishment, then parents won’t turn out such indulged, bratty children who throw tantrums everywhere and can’t control themselves. THAT is also pretty damaging to a person’s character….

  12. hmmm says:

    if this is all true, where is CPS?

  13. ash says:

    haha what?! My dad used to spank us all the time and we turned out just fine. I see less and less parents not doing anything and their kids are little terrors. I agree in full with Anonymous.

  14. emmystarr says:

    Boozer? I doubt it very much! Shes entitled to have a drink….gimme a break already…..I got a couple whacks with a wooden spoon myself when I was younger and I turned out pretty well. If she does or has done that, she isn’t abusing them….so get over it! I’m sure she is very stressed very often with 8 kids and marriage troubles. People need to stop criticizing this family. The media is largely to blame for alot of their problems. I’m certainly not saying Kate isn’t bitchy, bossy, and harsh but the media definitely intensifies things.

  15. Amy says:

    Ok, I don’t like her , but now it’s just getting petty….

  16. Bros says:

    I got my ass spanked for several things, all of which I deserved and I dont think there is anything wrong with it. when we were really bad, we got spanked with the wooden spoon, which didnt really hurt anymore than the hand, but I think it was meant to be more punishing, lol. none of us suffered any lasting effects, have wonderful relationships with our parents and are just fine. I think MORE kids need a smack on the ass when they act like holy terrors. I see way too many kids acting like they control their parents, making scenes in public, etc. that needs to be nipped in the bud, and i cant stand watching parents bend down, “now precious jimmy…” does nothing.

  17. jessie says:

    There is a big difference between spanking a child and abusing them.
    Everyone is afraid to spank their kids nowadays b/c it’s not PC, but look at the behavioral difference between generations were it was acceptable to spank and child and kids now. Abuse is neer acceptable but I think something is definitely lacking in parenting these days.

    That said, this woman comes across as a complete ice queen but I seriously doubt she is abusing her children and that CPS needs to be called in.

  18. j. ferber says:

    I agree that hitting a child is wrong. As opposed to the people who said they were hit as children and are fine, I was hit and have never been fine with it. I still remember being spanked by my mother with my pants down and it was humiliating as well as frightening to be overpowered by someone. My dad occasionally hit me and my sister with a belt (never my brother) and said his father had done that to him, too. I don’t care what parents of other generations did. It was, is, and always will be wrong to hit another human being except in self-defense. I don’t want my daughter to believe the physically bigger person wins against the small fry because of violence. I don’t want her to feel helpless, humiliated or suppressed. We give time-outs and that’s sufficient. I remember teachers used to hit kids in school, too, but that’s no longer allowed or acceptable. Parental hitting of children should go the same way.

  19. guest says:

    kate has some major issues. major.

  20. tinat says:

    oh please, my Mom used to use a wooden spoon, much harder then a plastic spoon, LOL. Yeah it hurts but it isn’t child abuse or anything, it’s called discipline.
    As we got older we learned to hide the wooden spoons..which did actually tick Mom off more, but it was funny to us to watch her fume!

  21. Feebee says:

    Sometimes these stories don’t come out before because the source may think they just won’t be believed.

    I don’t think an occasionally smack damage a kid but I don’t think weapons (even a wooden/plastic spoon) should be used.

  22. Shelly Shellz says:

    Parents now-a-days r sooo afraid of spanking their kids out of fear of having CPS called on them. If u ask me kids these days r soooo much more out of control then when I was a kid (Im 27) and its bc alot of parents let them get away w so much out of fear. It seems as though parents want to be more friends then parents. My mother used to hit me all the time & I knew btr then to come home late or catch fits and tantrums over non-sense. She wasnt having any of that & i turned out pretty dam good. I have no children of my own but my nieces do live w me and although I dont always do it, I will hit them when it calls for it and they respect me so much more then my brother bc he’s the push over. There’s NOTHING wrong w spanking/discipliningur kids… is not abuse!!!

  23. Ron says:

    FORMER nameless staffer. Don’t ever believe this, when you have the phrase “FORMER Staffer” What the term FORMER staffer belies is “DISGRUNTLED employee” or possibly “FIRED Employee” and they never have anything nice to say. If there is truth in it, they will put their name on it. I am sure there are FORMER employees of mine out there who would not have good things to say about me since I fired them.

  24. GOSSELINSWEATSHOP says:

    OF COURSE SHE SPANKS THOSE MISERABLE KIDS – TODDLERS WOULD NEVER RUN THAT FAST TO TIME OUT AND STAY THERE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME WITHOUT BEING [PETRIFIED OF MOMMIE DEAREST – THE KIDS SHOW ALL KIDS OF ABUSE, NERVOUSNESS, ANXIOUSNESS, TANTRUM “fITS”, HITTING ALL THE TIME, WHINING INCESSANTLY… WHEN THE CAMERA MAN IS THERE FOR SAFETY, CROTCH GRABBING MULTIPLE TIMES, RIDICULOUS AMOUNTS OF BATHROOM BREAKS AD INFINITUM TEARS…

    THESE KIDS ARE HER CASH COWS, INCOME GENERATORS, MONEY MAKERS, DRUG MULES AND THEY HAD BETTER STAY IN LINE AND NOT DERAIL THE GOSSELIN MONEY TRAIN

    ANYONE WITH A BRAIN KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING OFF CAMERA BY THE BEHAVIOR EXHIBITED BY THESE MISERABLE, MISERABLE KIDS

  25. Alecto says:

    Omgosh. Ya’ll are way too liberal.

  26. the original kate says:

    i am no fan of jon & kate, but i highly doubt kate is a “boozer” or abuses her children. if this were true why didn’t someone report this earlier, before the shit hit the fan? nope…i don’t believe it.

  27. Cowbell says:

    I’m drinking a bottle of wine right now.

    I hate Kate but this seems a bit silly. So she disciplined her kid. I wouldn’t hit my daughter but I do know some fine parents who choose to spank. Not sure how I feel about the weapon she uses but maybe her hand and wrist are just sore from whopping 8 kids 24/7?

  28. Em says:

    I took many a spankings as a kid and I’ve giving some as an adult. I think it can be appropriate in certin situations like when a kid thinks it funny to run from you in a parking lot or play with the stove. Kate’s actions seems extreme in this case though. I don’t like Kate but every parent has a moment where they’ve lost their cool, over reacted and feel awful about it later. If this is even true hopefully that was one of those moments.

  29. Humble Bill says:

    The generation before this wimpy one was spanked. This generation is week and I expect other countrys to pull ahead of out new wimpos. Or maybe she beats her kids now because she is going out with a Body guard that finds noooo problem in beating people. I think his name was Steal Armstrong but could be wrong and I hear that he liked spanking her, soooo who knows????

  30. Courtney H says:

    I agree with people who’ve said that spanking should be used after you’ve given the child warning that if they don’t change their behavior, a spanking is coming.

    I know that as a child, I was extremely stubborn. We were also fairly poor, so there weren’t a whole lot of privileges to be taken away. My mom also eventually had to start spanking me with objects (flip-flop, usually). I’d learned to clench up my butt muscles really tight, and she’d just hurt her hand and I’d feel nothing, haha.

  31. K says:

    I was the youngest of eight children and my MONSTER beat me daily. My MONSTER was investigated multiple times by children’s services and I was never removed because the house was clean and the other children showed no signs of abuse because she didn’t abuse my siblings and was very good to them. I refused to talk to that bitch and I THANK GOD EVERYDAY THAT SHE’S DEAD! You want to beat your kids…they will hate you, refuse you, and certainly never let you meet your grandchildren.My MONSTER died a very lonely miserable C**T. My MONSTER died and I rejoiced!

  32. fizXgirl314 says:

    i was abused by my brothers when i was younger. it definitely has had some lasting and traumatic inplications in my life. however, i think we can all agree there is a difference between the occasional spanking and downright abuse.

  33. anonymous says:

    i totally agree with everyone that’s defending spanking. Parents these days are awful! They are wimpy and want to be their kid’s friends. I’m a teacher and I can tell you how unruly these kids are! They expect EVERYTHING to be given to them and are sassy and rude. It is clear they have never heard the word “no” from any adults. There needs to be more discipline in this world. I certainly do not advocate hitting, but spanking is just that: a spanking. Its intent is to discipline, not hurt.

    I too was spanked as a child. It happened maybe once and it was just a pat, but it certainly taught me a lesson!

  34. Denise says:

    If it’s not okay for Kate to slap Jon, why is it okay for her to whack the kids with a spoon? You KNOW that this woman takes corporal punishment TOO FAR. Considering what all Kate has proven herself to be, there is NO WAY that she can be reasonable with corporal punishment. You don’t go whacking kids with a spoon just because one accidentally (or deliberately) closes a door on another. Kate has more temper tantrums than all the kids put together. If corp. punishment is okay, why doesn’t Kate display it on the show?

    If the “insider” just wants 15 minutes of fame, why isn’t their name revealed? You can’t have fame if you’re anonymous. This is why the unnamed insider’s report is probably true. Kate is just plain MEAN. She demands her kids to hug each other after they hit each other.

    They hit each other because SHE hits THEM and this teaches them that it’s okay to hit when frustrated. You should never order kids to give hugs. HOW EFFING STUPID, KATE !!!!!

  35. Zoe (The Other One) says:

    This woman is vile.

    I don’t have any kids so I don’t know if I’d be a ‘smacker’ or not as a parent but it does seem to me to be a lack of control on the part of the parent. I don’t see anything wrong with it at all as a last resort. Beating a child and physically abusing him/her is something far and away from an occasional smack.

  36. Denise says:

    I know lots of people who were hit by their parents and they all claim “I TURNED OUT JUST FINE.” Funny, how whenever they talk about the parent who hit them, you can see the sweat on their forehead and hear the tension in their voice, too ! One guy said he turned out fine (I’m sick of those three words) but to this day, his relationship with Mama is strained, full of tension, thin, and not the least bit warm and fuzzy. But oh, he turned out fine because he went to college, has a job and doesn’t do drugs. Yeah.

  37. Denise says:

    THE DUGGARS DON’T HIT THEIR KIDS. Neither do the Hayes, and all those kids are much better behaved, happier, more peaceful, less screaming, less whiney than the Gosselin kids. Something to think about. There, I’m done, I promise.

  38. Imara219 says:

    What is wrong with corporal punishment. It is not abuse, if done properly and by properly I mean providing the child with warnings, letting them know why they are being punished, acknowledging corrective behavior, and never doing it out of anger/frustration. I was popped all the time when I was younger, a matter of fact, once I was popped with a spoon (gasp, shock). I turned out fine. It didn’t leave lasting damage.

  39. Denise says:

    Okay, I broke my promise.

    To the person above me who praises corp. punishment, he then says, “I was popped all the time.” So then, if corp. punishment really works, why did you need to get “popped all the time?” If something works, it doesn’t have to be delivered “all the time.” Nobody in their right mind can honestly believe that a woman like Kate Gosselin is capable of using corp. punishment in a reasonable fashion: trying other tactics first, giving warnings, explaining things, etc., and THEN as a last result, a controlled spanking.

    No, she yanked the boy into the bathroom and let loose on him. This was not a last resort. It was not under control. We are talking about Kate Gosselin here, not your controlled, humble parent who spanked you as a last resort.

    Women hit their kids for the same reason men hit their wives: They get pissed, feel superior and use their bigger bodies. Ever wonder why so many old people in nursing homes never get visited by their parents? Better think twice before letting loose on your kid. He’ll be your size one day.

    There are many parents out there whose grown kids have cut them out of their lives because of all the “spankings.” Many did NOT turn out fine. They hate their parents. Yeah, it seems they turned out fine: clean cut, nice car, nice job, nice this and that, but they are harsh and hard on their parents, and the parents wonder why…

  40. Melanie says:

    I agree with Cinderella, spanking is NOT ALWAYS inappropriate, but it shouldn’t be used as the only form of punishment. It should only be used in rare situations and as a last resort. However someone like Kate, who seems to have a problem controlling her temper, should probably abstain from spanking her child. She shouldn’t be spanking her child out of rage, she could get out of control. Another thing to remember about spanking is that parents need to use a form of discipline that will always work with their child. At a certain age kids won’t put up with being spanked, which in turn can turn into domestic violence. Like they should be able to have rational discussions about what the child has done to be punished. So in sum, spanking isn’t a completely inappropriate form of punishment, it just needs to be used with ALOT of care and good sense.

  41. Layla says:

    Keep in mind folks – ol’ girl came from a trailer park. She’s just getting back to her roots.

  42. Ana says:

    Didn’t she already admit that she spanked the kids? I think it was the episode where they answered questions.

    The problem with Kate is that she seems like she would lose control and take it out on her kids.

    Drinking a bottle of wine at night I wouldn’t recommend. What if something happened? I would get drunk because it doesn’t take much for me. Maybe it’s different for Kate. I guess it might be okay for her since she has other people around to watch her kids in case something goes wrong.

    Whatever she is doing, there is something a little off. Those children do not respect her and they are already starting to back talk. You are supposed to lead by example.

    What are those children drinking from Starbucks. I never go there so do they offer kid friendly drinks?

  43. anastasiabeaverhausen says:

    Well, yeah, she hits them and hits the wine bottle at night. She has EIGHT FREAKING KIDS. (I’m not excusing any of this, and I love kids and love my child, but I’d rather cut off my freaking arm than have to raise eight of them.) Kids that she apparently doesn’t have much interest in anymore beyond being little moneymakers.

    The woman is a narcissist. And she and her husband sold their children’s privacy for mass public consumption. That’s pretty bad. Everything else just makes the whole picture worse.

  44. cakes says:

    There is absolutely nothing wrong with a swat to the bottom. Usually only once is enough and when the child is old enough to understand punishments you should explain why they got a swat. I don’t believe that children hold swatting aginst a parent. Swatting does not have to be painful just hard enough to get attention. Then you move on. When I discipline my god daughter she gets a swat, told to stop, guided to her toys. When she comes up to me again I give her a hug and a kiss. Its no big deal. Most of the time she’s trying to assert her two year old dominince over the adults in the room.
    If you are pissed off you should put the child in her room or you can go outside or whatever you need to calm down. I never discipline while angry. I put her in her room for a little while.
    Light swatting is not abusive is not psychologically damaging its effective.

  45. lil says:

    Having been a nanny in a military area for years, I’ve worked closely with a large number of families. Some of the most violent children I’ve ever met came from parents who were horrified by the very thought of spanking, and some of the most pleasant, well-rounded children I’ve met came from parents who would resort to spanking at times. The vice-versa is equally true. Personally, I’ve never met a child I couldn’t keep under control and enjoy the company of, and yet I never have and never will raise a hand or even my voice to a child. But I have become a firm, firm believer that spanking itself doesn’t teach a child to hit. Anger and impulsiveness in the parent does.

    If you lash out angrily and whip your child to the corner, if you angrily snatch a toy from their hands, even if you just resort to screaming, none of that is any less detrimental to a child’s character than if you angrily grab your child and swat them. Similarly, if you lovingly place a misbehaving child in time out, if you calmly remove a toy from them, these are no more virtuous and effective than gently telling your child they’ve misbehaved, and therefore the consequence is a spanking.

    The principle I have observed being, every interaction you have with your child is teaching them how to deal with others in attitude, not in manner. A parent who becomes frustrated and reacts angrily as if the child has wronged them teaches the child that “payback” is how you deal with someone who upsets you. True discipline, however, is always born of love, and that will reflect positively in your child no matter what method of discipline you use. Children simply need a calm parent who disciplines with a loving eye that looks toward the future well-being of the child, begetting in that adult-to-be self-discipline and a sense of fairness.

    A parent’s attitude toward their child, IMO, is also fully responsible for the parent-adult child relationship. Does it really sound rational to anyone that a loving, happy life is completely marred by a parent choosing as discipline a smack on the tush now and then? I can only remember meeting peers who adore their parents and laughingly remember their childhood misbehavings and subsequent swats.

    That said, from the little I’ve seen it will be hard to imagine Kate Gosselin’s children growing up without any sort of neurosis, spanking or no spanking.

  46. ashleigh says:

    I don’t personally think I’ll use corporal punishment with my future children. Primarily because I plan to adopt out of foster care, and many foster children in care have experienced or witnessed physical violence.

    Having said that, I currently work as a child welfare worker, and spanking your child is not abuse. From a legal standpoint, if you don’t leave marks, it isn’t abuse. I also take issue with calling spanking a child (even with an implement) abuse from the standpoint that it perpetuates the idea that CPS should and does remove for routine discipline because it conflicts with someone’s personal feelings about corporal punishment.

    However, this is one more reason that children involved in reality television should be subject to the same restrictions as children involved in more traditional acting. This means that the children would have to have a social worker/tutor on set during filming. If abuse is occurring (and I’m not saying that it is), then a mandatory reporter would be on set to make a report to CPS.

    For basic information for anyone reading this, anyone can make a CPS report. If you suspect abuse for any child (or adult who is incapable of caring for themselves due to age, mental capacity, etc), please please please contact your local protective services. CPS investigates, and they generally won’t remove. An investigation doesn’t hurt anyone, and it can save lives.

  47. boomchakaboom says:

    Ashleigh: That’s good information, and it raises an interesting question regarding the Gosselin kids: IS there a social worker on site during filming? Can somebody find this out and let us know? Maybe they could also let us know if Kate ever looks happy.

  48. Annie says:

    I’m sorry, discipline is NOT abuse. That is ridiculous to say that.

    Of course there’s a line and any respectable parent knows that.

    Let me tell you right now that I was definitely hit by my mom. We’re talking spoons on the hands and spanking, depending on the crime. The worse was when I was made to kneel in a corner and think about why I was in trouble. And can I tell you that I turned out to be a pretty level-headed adult, who LOVES her mother and frankly, turned out pretty damn great. Straight A student, college graduate, good job, bla bla bla. No lasting scars on here. My mom always let me know exactly why she was doing it and you can bet your britches I didn’t do it again. I don’t buy the “lasting life-altering side effects”. How do you truly study that? What would be your control group? What accounts for the fact that EACH CHILD IS DIFFERENT? Maybe one is more prone to bad behavior than another while there’s one that’s an absolute dreamchild.

    Honestly, I see some kids in malls screaming and kicking and I just think “Wouldn’t be doing that if you smacked his hands…”

    People are free to raise their children however they like, but for me? I’m hitting my kids but the difference is, you do it with a purpose not “just cuz”.

    Thank God that “no spanking allowed” legislation didn’t get passed. As if we don’t have enough entitled, spoiled brats in the world.

    Edit: I’d like to amend to say that, this should not be construed into my saying that Kate has the right parenting method down…clearly she’s not exactly the most loving/caring/with a heart person in that household.

  49. Jag says:

    So she denies her thirsty child water and spanks them with kitchen utensils. She is never shown smiling and hugging the children – just scowling, yelling at them, and pushing them away. This woman needs help. (and now the father is absent, and he appears to be a lush, not to mention openly being with other women while married.) Those poor kids.

  50. Ashley says:

    Ok, first of all, National Enquirer? The newspaper that frequently makes BS claims about half-clam half-chicken people?

    Second of all, their sextuplets, not octuplets. Research a little before making an article.

    And this is all coming from a person who despises Kate anyway, but I don’t believe she beats her children. Not from a source of National Enquirer. If this were real, don’t you think they would have gone to even a slightly more reputable source?

    Learn to think for yourselves, people. You’re being outdone by a college kid.

  51. Denise says:

    According to Childhelp USA, 97 percent of violent incarcerated criminals were HIT as children by their primary caretaker.

    A spanking can evolve into a whipping with a metal rod. A “swat” can evolve into shoving a kid to the ground, then yanking him up like a stray dog. A “love tap” can evolve into welts and bruises, or a backhand to the face that sends a 50 pound child to the floor.

    Certain people, like Kate Gosselin, should NOT be spanking their kids. If the spoon incident is true, this clearly shows Kate is OUT of control, expressing anger and frustration, rather than discipline and education. You can’t trust Kate Gosselin or any women like her with a spanking.

    If the report is true, Kate hits her kids out of her OWN anger, rather than disciplining an out of control child.

    Really, did that little sextuplet boy deserve to get whacked with a spoon so hard he was screaming? Yeah, maybe if he tried to set the house on fire, but…

  52. moops says:

    I used to get slapped when I acted up as a kid and I think I turned out ok. I’ve had relatives who used “the spoon” thing on their kid….they get a warning and if they continue to act up…..they got the spoon.

  53. Ana says:

    I agree with a few of the posters who said that Kate would most likely be spanking out of her own rage…which is NOT something a parent who uses corporel punishment should be doing.
    The denying Mady the water really shows how mean she is. Mady asked for the water first. Kate got a bottle of water, took a drink and then put it away! That is another form of cruelty. Yes, they were about to go on air but Kate was the one to be talking and not Mady.
    I think if a parent choses not to spank their child that is their decision to make. But I have noticed a lot more out of control children lately which also stems from people not punishing their children in other ways (such as timeouts.)

  54. Totalgiftedness says:

    The way I see it if more children were punished (NOT BEATEN) our country would be in a better place than it is. They would learn right from wrong, they would learn they need to earn the money that they get, they would learn to obey the laws, they would learn to treat people with respect. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Just because someone said something (supposedly) to the National Enquirer (lmao) insinuating that Kate did these things, do we take that as gospel ? If that “person” really saw this going on and was that concerned, they should’ve taken it to the authorities NOT the freaking National Enquirer

  55. CeeJay says:

    Blah, blah, blah. Here they come…out of the woodwork. Prior staff and employees who will say anything for a payout. Can’t believe a word any of them have to say. Like so many before me have said, if this lady cared so much about the type of punishment why did she stay 6 months and why did it take this long for her to say anything at all? Loser.

  56. Aspen says:

    There is nothing “out of control” about corporal punishment when it is given by a rational, non-angry, loving parent in a situation where nothing else gets through.

    That said, I believe the following:

    1.) Removing a child’s pants to spank them is abusive. I believe this because the point of a spanking is to humble, not humiliate. I also believe that children must learn from day one that their bodies are sacred and private.

    2.) Spanking with your hands, though not necessarily abusive, sends a bad message. We have a saying in our home, “Hands are tools for helping, not hurting.” Using a spoon or other similar implement with light swats is not abusive. I question the use of hitting a child with one’s hands.

    3.) If spanking is your only method of discipline, it is as useless and emotionally tiring to the child as constant lecturing or yelling. Spankings are NOT ideal for every infraction…and are not necessary at all for children with compliant or timid personalities.

    Every child is different. It is my belief that most people horrified by the idea of corporal punishment were either abused themselves or grew up as relatively compliant children in a home where spankings were never necessary or thought of.

    Remember that not every child is like you were or like your children are. Mothers need to stick together…not stick it to one another. Parenting is rough. Sweeping statements like, “any parent who does x or y is out of control” have no place in any meaningful dialogue about child-rearing.

  57. Marley says:

    growing up my mom used to spank my ass, there were times she even used a belt and yes at the time I was angry at her and all but as I have gotten older I have realized she did what she had to do, I would have been hell on wheels (worse then I already was) if it hadn’t been for her discipline. I turned out to be a pretty good person because of it. Abuse is another thing but if a child who is old enough to know right from wrong needs a spanking then by all means I see nothing wrong with giving them a spanking, as long as you yourself are in control of your actions and do not take punishment to a level that is abuse.

  58. suemad says:

    I totally agree w/ Aspen.

    I don’t know what to say about this article. Who cares what she does to her kids, if she wants to spank them, let her be. People are going by how “annoying she is” and then judging her parenting skills on that, lol. Why should it be everyone’s business? It seems different magazines are taking sides and creating/finding stories to make either Kate/Jon look worse than each other. I cannot imagine what she feels like at this point.. with all these crazy negative articles. I imagine they are having a really hard time trusting anyone.

  59. nykidlib says:

    Hitting a child = discipline

    Hitting an adult = a crime

    Why is it ok to hit a child as long as its called discipline? People who say they spank out of love for their child seriously need a new definition of love. Hitting is a violent act plain and simple. If you think otherwise you are kidding yourself.

    Should I hit my co-workers if they make mistakes despite being told the correct way of doing things? If I did that I’d end up in jail.

    If my husband hit me for burning dinner I could have him arrested for spousal abuse.

    Yes, it is scary when children do things that put them in serious danger but hitting them is not the answer.

  60. Nebraska says:

    One day, Kate will be an old woman sitting around on triazolam wondering why none of her kids ever visit or call her. You get what you give.

    Kate was able to breed eight kids, but doesn’t seem like much of a “mother’; Jon did try and be a father but when you are criticized every step of the way you give up. Nykidlib is right. If Jon hit Kate there would be a big todo about it; yet it is ok for Kate to smack her little boy.

  61. H says:

    If people read the links CB put up, alot of the article was about toddlers being hit. Toddlers do not have the verbal skills to express their frustration and do not have the cognitive development to always understand consquences. When you talk about spankings what age do think is okay? Because I think 1,2 and 3 are to young to be hit all you will do is scare them.

  62. Celebitchy, you just made me realize the crux of the spanking issue. My mother used to spank us with a wire hairbrush, and, you know what? I have absolutely no memory of why she spanked or what she was trying to correct. All I remember is that she did it.

  63. dora says:

    “I was the youngest of eight children and my MONSTER beat me daily. My MONSTER was investigated multiple times by children’s services and I was never removed because the house was clean and the other children showed no signs of abuse because she didn’t abuse my siblings and was very good to them. I refused to talk to that bitch and I THANK GOD EVERYDAY THAT SHE’S DEAD! You want to beat your kids…they will hate you, refuse you, and certainly never let you meet your grandchildren.My MONSTER died a very lonely miserable C**T. My MONSTER died and I rejoiced!”

    I am very sorry about what happened to you. I hope that you will be able to overcome most of the anger. Although my case isn’t as severe as yours, my alcoholic father beat me until I moved away at 17. I was angry too at mother for years. Alcoholism messes the whole family up. I think Kate has Narcissism is the worst degree and has emotionally beaten down Jon over the last 11 or so years. Those of us that have lived with a narcissist or alcoholic knows exactly how this can happen.
    The best thing to do is get help and break the cycle of abuse, the same destructive messages that keep playing in your mind. Don’t hand down dysfunction to your children. The Gosselin family needs help, Jon needs to get help for himself and the children, Kate will be forced to change.

  64. dew says:

    There’s a big difference between appropriate spankings and beatings (aka child abuse). If a parent uses 2 fingers on an older toddler’s thighs and says NO at the very time the child is being defiant, how is that inappropriate or child abuse?

    I had cousins that were over-disciplined — not quite abused, but it got close sometimes. The oldest one had 4 children and only used time-outs and explaining why they shouldn’t do such and such for every time the kids acted up. All 3 of her boys were bratty monsters the rest of the family couldn’t stand being around.

    I’m not saying that children should be spanked for everything they do wrong, but if no other punishment is working, and explaining things doesn’t work, then appropriate spanking should be considered, depending on their age of course. Because what kind of parent wants to raise children that no one can stand to be around because they don’t know how to behave? Sloppy, lazy parents I guess.

  65. H says:

    Disipline and spankings are two different things. I was almost never spanked. When I was it was for doing something dangerous i.e. running in the street. I don’t even remember actually this is what my mother told me. Every time we spent the night with friends thier parents called to compliment my mother on how well behaved we were. She did not have to spank us to teach us manners and proper public behavior.
    One brother and sister-in-law have the brattiest kids on the planet, rude and ill behaved. They don’t spank or have any type of consistant consiquence for poor behavior. The other brother and sister-in-law don’t spank but do disipline and thier children are sweet and funny and a joy to be around. I see a lot of people who don’t pay attention to what their children are doing and don’t correct behavior when it starts. I have a toddler and I keep a close eye on him and correct him when he needs it and praise him for doing right and for trying to do right. I think a lot of people with poorly behaved children just don’t pay attention to what is going on and are lazy parents.

  66. Annie says:

    I don’t believe she hits her children with a spoon maybe with a hand but not a spoon.

  67. boomchakaboom says:

    I just wish someone would slap Kate upside the head a few times.

  68. Zoe (The Other One) says:

    Wow, this woman is public enemy number one at the moment. Thankfully I don’t get the show in the country where I live but I reckon if I did I would have reason to join in with the hatred.

    I saw the clip on youtube of her refusing the child water and I honestly can’t understand why on earth she did it. It seemed spiteful.

  69. sauvage says:

    And the whole camera team just stands around and let her abuse her children? Nice.

  70. Cletus says:

    Anyone who doesn’t know the difference between beating a child and spanking a child doesn’t need to have children. You never spank your kid when you’re angry, and you never spank your kid without telling them why you’re doing it first. I make my daughter look me in the face as I tell her why she’s fixing to get it, and then I get her to explain back to me why she’s getting her spanking. It works. I rarely need to spank her, and I have never had to spank her for the same thing twice.

    People who say that hitting kids is assault the same as if you hit an adult are wrong. Because I don’t own any adults, but you best believe I own my child. She’s mine. I don’t have philosophical debates with my 6 year old. We are gonna do what -I- wanna do, because I’m the mom and that’s how I roll. Period. When she gets older and can use critical thinking skills and logic, I will be happy to engage in dialogue with her. Until then, I am absoultely the dictator ’round these parts and I don’t require consent of the goverened to rule. This is my job as a parent.

    Also, I’m from the Deep Deep South and we all just love to beat our children It is like music to our ears.

    And Kate Gosselin sucks. She’s horrid, I wouldn’t want to hang out with her.

  71. GWOPer says:

    Kate Gosselin is going to go down in reality tv history as one of its greatest villians. It makes for great tv. It sells magazines! Move over Omarosa!

    A great Gosselin fansite. Very Funny commentary.

    GWOP Without Pity
    http://gwop-without-pity.blogspot.com/

  72. j. ferber says:

    I agree totally, nykidlib. If it’s wrong to do it to another adult, it’s wrong to do it to a child (even more wrong, in fact). And yes, discipline and violence are two entirely different matters.

  73. kelly says:

    it is amazing what people will say when they are being paid thousands of dollars to bring a human being further down into a hole

  74. frewt says:

    I think one of the main problems with society today is that kids don’t get spanked ENOUGH!

  75. betty says:

    Since when do people believe the National Enquirer? Rubbish, pure rubbish. She doesn’t hit her kids with a spoon, or drink a bottle of wine. Its the same thing as Brad and Jen are getting back together. Give it a rest already, leave them alone. Stop judging what you don’t know.

  76. Kimo Jai, Tampa,FL says:

    There is nothing wrong with corporal punishment. Take a look at America, no dicipline. When parents were allowed to tighten up on the backsides of their kids without outsiders running interference & when it was applied correctly, butt whippings worked. Now its wrong, taboo, and a crime to smack your kids on the butt. Take a look around America, We can kick off a whole another list of stories where a lot of people need some ‘tighting up’. So lay off Kate Gosselin. When done right, a smack on the butt never killed anyone, it got ’em right.

  77. natalie marie says:

    are you kidding me? Kate you are not cool-people watched your show bc you were down to earth and normal, not giving your kids starbucks-your a loser.

  78. Jenny says:

    Give me a break! Leave her alone. She has 8 kids and is doing a great job! Spanking a kid in the butt is not a big deal. The problem now is not enough parents are punishing there kids or following through…Most parents now are lazy and dont care. We have a mother who does punish and keep her word with her children. OMG!!!!! Shes fine!

  79. Tracy says:

    I see alot of people saying it is ok to discipline. Ok I get that, but then why does it NEVER show up on the show? Kate says that they just do time outs and that it works. But if they also spank, why is that not in the show too along with the time outs and why isnt kate talking about that? With the new pictures of Kate hitting Leah, the look on her face when she does it, and the closed fist instead of open hand speaks volumes to me. And just because the kid was blowing a whistle OUTSIDE while Kate was on the phone. Why did Kate not just go into the house if the phone call was so important? You can see the look on the two older kids faces as well. I cant wait for the sheeple to explain that away..

  80. KB says:

    The most devious, obnoxious, criminal people I know—were pretty much never ‘disciplined’ as children. There is a HUGE difference between “hitting” and “disciplining/spanking” kids! My husband and his bros and were hit with anything their single mom could grab (hot wheel tracks, pitchforks LOL)—if they did a bad job cleaning the house, she would throw their stuff out the window and they had to redo it. And guess what—my husband is the best father/provider I know—not a lazy bone in his body. My brother’s and I were hit with fly swatters and wooden spoons—but we deserved it every time! We are all productive, non-criminal parents raising our own well mannered, intelligent kids! And a couple of glasses of wine a night—-hooray for Kate! What is she supposed to do—pop a Valium? That is a lot of stress on a person—wine is a wonderful, natural way to relax! I am not a huge fan of Jon and Kate—but the stupid bleeding hearts WITHOUT kids that are now going to jump on her for spanking a bratty child need to borrow a bunch of bratty kids for a day—-and see how quick their “nice and humane’ tactics work—-LOL! Spanking will be their new hobby! And I totally agree with the PP’s—-if MORE people would discipline their children in this country—maybe it wouldn’t be such a mess…

  81. Jude says:

    I think Kate seems a little off and the whole family is messed up. Too bad that the kids are the ones who bare the brunt of this but seriously – a spoon? I got smacked with a wooden spoon growing up and am FINE! House, good job, good bf, good dog etc. Its not about getting your behind smacked here and there – the parent needs to discuss with the child why it happened, what they should do differently in the future etc. Believe me, at 8 years old having to analyze your actions and deeply discuss with your parents is the part you remember! Not the behind smack.

  82. suzie says:

    My mom spanked me and I spanked my children and myself and my children are very well mannered. The —- with time out. My son does spank his daughter however I do. She listens to me because she knows I mean business but test her dad

  83. carol says:

    I agree with Jenny. Kate and Jon were very young with 8 kids. I think she can be a bitch but overall she really is doing a great job. It’s easier to let your kids get away with murder and it’s very demanding to steer them in the right direction. I believe she hugs her kids a lot and every thing she does is for their future. Imagine the cost in 10 years to send 8 kids to college. The media should give Kate a break.

  84. Meg says:

    PLEASE, THATS NOT A CRIME!
    I was spanked, and i turned out fine!
    Just let her raise the kids, the way she wants to, she’s doin a FINE job!
    TEAM KATE, TEAM JON, TEAM KIDS,

    The paparatzi need to leave this family alone! Just let them do there show, and in between times, live their life!

  85. CB Rawks says:

    Picking up a weapon to hit your kids with? NO.
    I was spanked, but my parents would only spank my butt or the back of my thigh, with their hand. If you use a *tool* then you can’t be sure how hard you are hitting.
    And obviously, if you are getting slapped across the face, or punched, then that’s child abuse. Not discipline.